1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner for a vehicle which heats, cools or dehumidifies the interior of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In such a conventional air conditioner, the air conditioner generally has a heat sink or absorber provided at an upstream position in an air duct, a radiator provided at a downstream position in the air duct and an air mixing damper provided between the heat sink and the radiator for changing the volume of the air passing through the radiator. The heat sink displays a heat absorbing action and the radiator displays a heat radiating action. The heat provided to the air having passed through the heat sink is controlled by the opening degree of the air mixing damper, thereby controlling cooling, heating and dehumidifying operations.
In such a conventional air conditioner, because the air mixing damper is merely controlled at an opening degree predetermined in correspondence to a preset temperature etc., it is difficult to adequately control the temperature of the air actually discharged from the air duct into the interior of the vehicle. Further, in the cooling or heating operation mainly utilizing one of heat absorbing and heat radiating actions, there is a problem that energy of the other heat radiating or absorbing action is likely to be wasted inefficiently.